"Some people want to be an assistant coach and that's what they want to do," Roman told WENJ-FM this week, via the San Francisco Chronicle. "And some people want to be a head coach and that's what their goal is. I think we're all very goal-driven. And I think the time will come (for me)."

Despite seven head-coaching vacancies this winter, Roman interviewed for just one of those jobs, meeting with the Minnesota Vikings last month before they hired Mike Zimmer. Since 2010, he's also tried for the Vanderbilt, Stanford, Pittsburgh and Penn State roles. He reportedly turned down a head-coaching spot with Tulane in 2011 because it would have forced him to leave the 49ers in midstream.

Roman said he'd like to be a head coach "without question," but like Adam Gase in Denver and Dan Quinn in Seattle, he's been left out in the cold because of the success of his current team.

Organizations looking for new head coaches weren't keen on waiting until after the Super Bowl to install new leadership, a reality that directly affected potential opportunities with the Cleveland Browns for Quinn and Gase, who opted to hire Mike Pettine instead of waiting around.

The upside for each of these young coaches is clear: Another year tucked inside successful programs that only will increase their readiness for what comes next. Look for Roman, Quinn and Gase to be hotly pursued one winter from now.

In the latest "Around The League Podcast," the guys ponder the future in both Seattle and Denver and break down the teams who intrigue them most this offseason.